1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to marine entertainment and information systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a combination marine entertainment system and depth sounder that more efficiently utilizes limited space on a boat instrument panel, that is more convenient to operate, and that is more economical to manufacture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many boats are outfitted with both entertainment systems and depth sounders. Unfortunately, prior art marine entertainment systems and depth sounders are manufactured and installed separately in their own housings, necessitating the mounting of both devices on or near a boat""s instrument panel so that both can be easily seen and operated. Those familiar with boats will appreciate that the typical marine instrument panel is crowded with a multitude of gauges and instruments and, therefore, space is extremely limited. Another limitation with the prior art practice of manufacturing and installing marine entertainment systems and depth sounders separately is that the controls, displays and other components of the devices are duplicated, thus increasing both the costs to manufacture and the complexity of operating the devices.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved marine entertainment systems and depth sounders that overcome the limitations of the prior art.
The present invention solves the above-described problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of marine entertainment and information systems. More particularly, the present invention provides a combined marine entertainment system and depth sounder that more efficiently utilizes limited marine instrument panel space, that is more convenient and simple to operate, and that shares certain components and, therefore, is less expensive to manufacture and install.
The combined marine entertainment system and depth sounder of the present invention broadly includes a housing; an entertainment assembly including a display and an entertainment component positioned in the housing; and a depth sounder assembly including a depth display positioned within the same housing as the entertainment assembly display and entertainment component.
The entertainment component of the entertainment assembly may be one or more of the following: a commercial broadcast AM receiver, a commercial broadcast FM receiver, a NOAA weather radio band receiver, a compact disc player, a digital video disc player, a mini-disc player, a cassette tape player, an audio playback apparatus, a low-level audio input driven by an external audio source, a low-level audio output to drive external audio equipment, a digital audio input, a digital audio output; or any other conventional entertainment device. The depth display is configured to be coupled with a depth sounder transducer for receiving depth information therefrom and for displaying the depth information.
The housing, entertainment assembly, and depth display described above make up a main unit of the marine entertainment and information apparatus. In preferred forms, the apparatus also includes a separate remote unit positioned outside the housing of the main unit and operatively coupled therewith. The remote unit includes a remote housing, a remote depth sounder display positioned within the remote housing for remotely displaying the depth information, and remote controls for remotely controlling operation of the entertainment assembly and the depth sounder assembly.
By constructing a combined marine entertainment system and depth sounder as described herein, numerous advantages are realized. For example, by positioning components of the entertainment assembly and depth sounder in a common housing that can be mounted in a single opening of a marine instrument panel, valuable marine cockpit space is saved. Moreover, by combining the components of the entertainment assembly and depth sounder into a single unit, displays, controls, and certain other components required by both devices can be combined, further saving instrument panel space and simplifying the operation and use of the devices. Furthermore, the sharing of certain components of the devices reduces the manufacturing and installation costs of the apparatus.